UN Blames Israel for Minefield in Southern Lebanon

The United Nations condemned Israel for planting landmines along the southern Lebanese border after the 33 Day War this past summer:

Four members of an international demining team have been wounded in an Israeli-laid minefield in south Lebanon, a UN spokeswoman said, adding it was the first evidence of use by the Jewish state of anti-personnel mines in the summer conflict.

One British and one Bosnian deminer working for London-based company ArmorGroup on a United Arab Emirates-funded project had their feet amputated after being struck by a landmine Friday, UN spokeswoman Dalya Farran told AFP Saturday.

“It is a landmine,” the spokeswoman for the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre said. “It is an Israeli No 4 anti-personnel mine. It was newly planted during the summer conflict.

“It is the first evidence we have at the United Nations that Israel used landmines during the latest war.”

Asked how the deminers knew that the mines were newly planted, the spokeswoman said that the Deir Mimas area had been demined after previous conflicts.

“When you’re an expert and you see a minefield, you know if it’s newly planted — the mines remain shiny and obviously fresh,” she added.

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